Saturday • May 5th • 2018

[Toronto, ON] (May 3rd 2018) – The 20th Annual Global Marijuana March (GMM) in Toronto is set for this Saturday kick off at high noon at Queens Park North. GMM takes place in over 500 cities across the globe, with Toronto being the largest in North America. At 2PM GMM will be lead by Jodie Emery, taking off north of Queen’s Park travelling to Bloor, East to Yonge, south to Wellesley returning to Queen’s Park for the RISE UP Ontario Rally at Queens Park South at 4pm.

“The Global Marijuana March is an international day of cannabis celebration and protest against prohibition. Canada still hasn’t yet legalized cannabis, and more delays simply mean more ongoing injustice,” emphasized Jodie Emery.

After the march, the media is invited to join industry leaders, political candidates, medical cannabis patients, recreational consumers, private cannabis business owners and supporters uniting for a political rally presented by Sensible Ontario 4pm in front of the provincial legislature. The goal of this rally is to bring much needed attention to the major issues surrounding the Ontario government’s proposed cannabis retail monopoly, while cannabis lounges remain unregulated for now: “Ontario is now looking at a progressive and realistic approach to cannabis consumption. We are hopefully that cannabis lounges will be potentially included in the future provincial framework,” says Hotbox Cafe founder Abi Roach, a Director of the Ontario Cannabis Consumer & Retail Alliance (OCCRA) which launched the Sensible Ontario campaign to make cannabis private retail an election issue.

“Several provinces have recognized private retail, or are embracing a mixed model approach including BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. It’s time for Ontario to embrace a new paradigm for cannabis retail that’s inclusive to those who have been disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs,” echoed OCCRA Director Tyler James, who is launching the campaign for cannabis amnesty at the rally.

The provincial election is June 7th and GMM organizer HERB KUSHMAN says “we need to show the Ontario government in their own backyard what we think legalization should look like. VOTE TO TOKE ONTARIO!”.